The first of Marvel's monsters after the easing of the Comics Code ban on werewolves, vampires, etc. The story is nicely done and the art is passable-Ploog will improve a lot. Compared to today's comics, the fact that the 'hero' outright killed people was shocking back in the day.

I liked the story, of course it drawn comparison to the Hulk, but Jack seems to be more aware of what's going on, and obviously isn't very powerful. How can you get youra**kicked by a guy because he's strong? You're a freaking werewolf.
Art was decent, but I can't say I'm a fan of the werewolf design...it often look more like an ape.
Let's see where it goes from here. Does every story end up having to be a month after the last?

I had the Power Records version (record and comic) of this as a kid, which used pretty much the first half of this story (at least until after Jack's mother tells him of the curse), including Ploog's artwork. The opening page was the same, showing the werewolf holding his dead victim in his hands... For kids!!

I never read the original until now. I hadn't realized how similar the record was to the original. You can find it on YouTube if you're interested.

I actually really, really liked this. Conway's normally ponderous writing suits this story pretty well, and while the art isn't mind blowing it is suitably moody and works quite well. I can already the points where the series is likely to creak in the long term, but right now it's genuinely nice to see something a bit different.

You'd think that, knowing your child could turn into a werewolf, you would do something to prepare them. Like giving them a room with a really thick door and no windows. You know, protect them from the whole waking up and realising that they've been on a murderous rampage thing. What does Marvel have against good parenting skills?

All kidding aside, the story was actually pretty good. I liked Ploog's artwork, but I wonder if the CCA still prevented him from making the werewolf look like a real wolf; I agree with the other commenters that he seemed more like a smaller, hairier Hulk. The story premise still holds up well; it seems tamer by today's standards but probably scared a few younger readers back when it was first published.

A couple of side notes....

- I liked the Venus backup story too. Bill Everett's pencils and inks were just downright gorgeous and smooth.

- Marvel Spotlight #1 featured the debut of a different Red Wolf from Avengers #80-81. This Red Wolf, Johnny Wakely instead of William Talltrees, would only see a few appearances for Marvel. What really struck me about the story was that it was scripted by comics uber-legend Gardner Fox. Was this his first work for Marvel/Timely/Atlas?

4 stars. Very different, and great groundwork laid for this series. Hey, does anyone think it was no accident that the main character's name came from a popular breed of dog?

I see that I'm not the only one who noticed the similarities between WaN and Hulk. However, Hulk's narration is all third person and WaN's is first person. It also seems that Jack has more control over his werewolf form than Banner has on Hulk.

Art is a bit like unrefined Steranko (especially his Tower of Shadows story) but I'm assured that Ploog gets better.

Story-wise Gerry Conways overheated melodrama seems to work here to carry the dramatic tension through the whole story. It does make for a narration-heavy story but in this case it works.

With Man-Thing previously, now Werewolf By Night, we are getting into the horror heavy phase of the 70s. Always loved the old Hammer films as a kid and this love was fed by the comics of the time.

Issue Letters Page

Dear Sirs,

I am not a regular reader of your western main books. However, l bought a copy of RED WOLF because you had been advertising it in your super-hero magazines. I was impressed by the quality of the magazine and was quite happy to see that RED WOLF contained only one story, can Ike the RAWHIDE KID or CREATURES ON THE LOOSE. The multi-story, fifteen cent comic book is very unsatisfactory way to present a story. Given only a few pages, a story can't be as detailed and seems to end before you get involved in it. Please continue RED WOLF! But do not let it become an ordinary, run-of-the-mill western comic-book.

I like the one-story format and feel the RED WOLF could become a new and exciting addition to the Marvel elite (i.e., Cap, Spidey, The Hulk, Conan, etc.) RED WOLF breaks a tradition that he’s kept western books in relative obscurity (meaning the Red Wolf's perspective is much different from most western gunslinger types whose one-sided view makes their book. Parody of a 1950 Western movie, not an over-all view of the interaction of white and Indian civilizations in the ma Civil Wet nineteenth century). So, in conclusion, I repeat, continue RED WOLF!

Mark Bueide, 3 Acorn Lane
Westprot, Conn, 06860

We hope to, Mark, but it's up to you readers! As you can see, we have a new feature to MARVEL SPOTLIGHT this month, and we hope to continue introducing new characters in the mag from time to time in order to give you an opportunity to judge them on a one-short basis. Then, if you dig 'em, chances are they'll get their own mags. If you don't--well, you’re the judges. Who says, this isn't the Marvel Age of dynamic democracy?!

Dear Stan,

I just finished reading my copy of RED WOLF. I found it to, be a very enjoyable comic-book. I usually don't go in for comic, books about westerns, but with RED WOLF it was different. Most people like to associate all Indians with being "Hi-Ho, Scalp 'em". But in this comic-book you made an Indian a hero. Even though Red Wolf neither sides with white men or Indians, he tries to maintain peace between the two. It is nice to read a comic-book where the Indian isn't always discriminated against. The reason I am writing is to let you know Red Wolf in a great comic-book, and I think it should stay around. The background story and artwork were remarkable. My highest regards to the staff.

Julius Johnson, Route 2
Kensington, Ga. 30727

Our thanks for the kind words, Julie, and for giving us a chance to add a line or two in regard to the problems facing the American Indian today. As American citizens, none of us can be very proud about the way our country's original inhabitants have been in the past but there's nothing we can do about that. What we can and must do is to see that those tragic mistakes aren’t repeated, and the best way to achieve that is to start treating our red brothers as such right now. RED WOLF is our own small contribution, but it will take everything all of us can do to even begin to erase the wounds of centuries of cruel treatment which must scar the minds of every American Indian alive. Let's do something about it, huh?
Sorry if we seemed to sermonize, but there are some things you amply ant say enough about ‘Nuff said? 'Nuff said..

Dear Stan Lee,

While reading RED WOLF #1, I decided to make a few comments on it. Red Wolf was born an Indian and will always be an Indian. After his real patents died, two white-eyes took him in, which seems to me a one-out-of-a-thousand chance that they would accept him.

The book to me is 50/50. Make the second issue more accurate and cut out the saying that Red Wolf is neither Indian or white. Have Red Wolf protecting his people from white-eyes and renegades. Features black people in your book, because many fought alongside the Indians and many fought against them. Since you are the first to give an Indian character like Red Wolf his own book, I congratulate you.

John Arocho, 1080 Randall AveBronx, N.Y. 10472

We appreciate your comments, Johnny, but we’re not really certain what it is you're upset about. As for Red Wolf being unable to decide whether he wishes to be an Indian or a white, this seems to us a very realistic dilemma. The same sort of problem stiff facer a lot of people today.

Issue Attachements

There are no attachements for this issue. If you know of something, let us know through the contact page or the forums.